Monday, June 18, 2007

The 'Goodly Words' of a Deer

Jill challenged me to research the references and significance of ‘deer’ in the scriptures. I never turn down a challenge without at least giving it a try so here are my thoughts on the subject. **********************

Who can watch a deer in the wild and not be moved by its gentle , graceful beauty ?!

The very first reference to deer in the bible is in Gen. 49:21 in Jacob’s prophecy to his sons. About Naphtali he says, “He is a deer let loose, he gives goodly words.”(Gen. 49:21) Naphtali means ‘my wrestling’ signifying a struggle in Naphtali’s life yet the blessing bestowed on him promises a prevailing victory and freedom! Obviously to be like a deer is a good thing, and if a deer could talk, its words would be gentle and kind and full of goodness!

What does it mean to be like a deer?

It means to be sure footed !!In Psalm 18:33 it says “He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places.”A deer is so sure of foot, it fears not the high craigy places of its mountain home.There is an interesting turn of phrase in Psalm 18:33 - “and sets me on my high places”. A deer is so sure footed he does not look down when he runs ; his head is held high and he looks far ahead – as though he trusts something or someone else to ‘set’ his feet in secure places. Is that not what God promises us? Psalm 37:23 says “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and He delights in his way….” Let us be like the deer --trusting that God is placing our feet in secure places…. Knowing that no matter what comes into our life, God is ordering our steps and we can keep our eyes lifted up – gazing into His face never fearing that our foot will slip!

Not only is the deer sure footed but it is a joy to watch it leap!Isaiah 35:6 declares "the lame shall leap like a deer" in a time when God’s kingdom rules. I love to watch a deer leap…..it seems to leap over gravity itself.I have watched them bound up to a six foot fence , stop, look at it and then effortlessly elevate into the air over the fence and land ever so lightly on their feet on the other side! Would that we could be like deer when obstacles block our life path. That we would stop, look, then trusting God to make a way through - simply allow His strength –in us- to lift us up and over the difficulty that threatens to overwhelm us or stop us in our tracks.

To be like a deer means to be loving.To watch a mother doe with her fawns is a beautiful thing, and the bible uses the deer to speak of marital love.In Prov. 5: 19 the words “as a loving deer and a graceful doe” refer to the satisfying love between a man and his wife.Song of Solomon carries this theme in 2:9, comparing the woman’s lover to a stag. Has any king ever worn a crown as magnificent as the antlers of a buck? How regally he carries himself, every step proclaiming his royalty!I smile when the young bucks walk across my back yard. Even when their antlers are barely showing they already hold their head with pride imitating the high stepping gait of a mature buck.We are children of the most high….and proclaim our royalty best when we love one another – with respect and tenderness , recognizing that the love between a man and a woman is the picture God has chosen to picture His love for the body of Christ!

An important aspect of being a deer is its thirst and need of water.In Psalm 42:1 David says, “As the deer pants for the water brook, so pants my soul for You, O God.”Deer tend to feed near water and if they are sick they will lie near water, knowing it is the most important thing they need.If forced to go without water for any length of time their thirst is intense and they will long for water, searching for it until they find it.

When we find ourselves in a dry place, do we know where to go? Do we seek the living water - the only thing that will quench our thirst? When we have not drunk deep enough of God’s life giving word, do we recognize our thirst and hurry to find fresh water like the deer? Or do we reach for other things to quench our thirst: the medicine cabinet, entertainment, the pursuit of financial gain, food, new toys, the remote control, sports, anything - except the One who alone has the ‘living water’ that will satisfy us?

The last verse in Song of Solomon speaks of the Shulamite woman’s longing for her love…. “Make haste my beloved and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the mountains of spices.”

Do we run like a deer, into the arms of God…ever seeking Him, longing for Him, thirsting for Him?

“Thank your, Lord, for your magnificent creation and especially for the deer that teaches us in such a beautiful way to trust You and seek You for all we need and desire!”

I enjoyed seeing the pictures of the new twins to set the frame for the post.My mother knows me well enough to know I would never, ever in a million years get a real tatoo! "Honor your mother and father." I look for ways to bless my mother, and a tatoo certainly would not do that! But it is fun. One time I got a clip on nose ring and wore it to see my grandpa just to give him a hard time. Oh the look on his face and the scoffing I got! I could barely keep a straight face and took it off after less than a minute. I thought it was hilarious. Him, not so much!I did have a lovely time, and am safely home. I am glad to get to catch up on reading your blog. I get so much from each one!

This is awesome. I came across your page while researching the name Naphtali. I am currently pregnant and considering the name for my daughter. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the blessings of Naphtali.

I was googling "sure footed as a deer" as well because I was doing my quiet time this morning. I had an idea what it meant but your blog post really opened my eyes to a wider definition of it. God bless you dear Julie, its women like you who set the example for younger women like me on the kind of heart we ought to have.

Thank you very much for your insight into the significance of the deer in the Bible. I feel led to share this with you:

Three weeks ago I lost my baby due to miscarriage. I've been finding it difficult to feel close to God...hard to find comfort in him.

I have lived in the country for a couple of years and have NEVER seen a deer in my backyard. However, a week after losing my baby I was crying on my bed, calling out to God. I then looked out my window and saw a deer with it's doe eating under my apple tree. The grief imediately went away and was replaced with peace and comfort as I watched them.

A week later I was driving home from worship practice. It had been very emotionally difficult to be in public and worshiping God through my pain. When I drove in the yard, there was a deer again. I parked the car and we stared at each other for a period of time.

This morning I was feeling alone and not motivated to do anything. I went up to my bedroom again to weep on my bed and cry out to God. As I wept, I again looked out my window to see a deer under my apple tree. And again my pain was replaced with peace and comfort. I am now certain that God is sending these deer to me, each week since the loss of my baby, to bring comfort and give me encouragement to continue to trust in him.

thankyou soo much..my name is sibya ..derived fromthe Hebrew name Zibiah (king Joash's mother in the old testament).i was searching for the meaning of my nameand found that it means a deer/roe..your article on thebiblical emphasis of a deer in the Bible has made me aware of what God wants me 2 be...thankyou :)

I stumbled upon your blog while searching for the deer references in the bible. My 20 yr.old granddaughter has been having dreams with a deer in them. I wanted to give her a scriptural picture of the meaning of the deer. I was thrilled with all that you posted here. I'm excited to share the info with her.Thank you for sharing...

This morning I went on a walk at a trail near my home, for exercise but more so just to clear my mind and speak a few words to God. Well, nearing the end of the walk I was done talking and was waiting for an answer when off to the side of the trail I saw a deer, and it me. As I walked past it lifted up it's head and paid attention to my passing, even after I passed and looked back I noticed it still watching me, moving forward from where I saw it. When I got him I looked up 'deer in the bible' and was directed here to realize that the verses and words here are my answer. Particularly the intro where Gods promise of Naphtali's victory and freedom amidst a struggle and trusting that God will make us of sure foot and set us in high places are mentioned. Just wanted to thank you for your post, it was exactly what I needed to see today.

It's a total God thing that I clicked on your blog and how it spoke to me. I am the Fellowship of Christian Athletes President at Carson Newman College and after one of our meetings, one of my other leaders told me to go up and see what I can find on what a deer represents. She told me this for she said that she had a vision or dream of a deer and how it was a vision about me. At first I was kind of indifferent. One because I am a 21 year old male (What male wants to be called a deer. We prefer more manly things like a lion.) and two it just caught me off guard. I didn't understand why God laid that on her heart but now after reading your post I am glad he did. Thank you for being submissive in following the Spirit and he will surely reward you. For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory. 2 Corinthians 4:17 You are having eternal weight and glory and I just wanted to let you know that.

Thank you for doing the work! I have been on the search for the spiritual/Biblical significance of the deer as the Holy Spirit continuously brings the deer to my attention. SO GOOD! Blessings-Melanie Golden

This was great! I have felt tired and weery lately spiritualy and physically. I think God wanted me to read this today and the two deer that i just spotted in my back yard near the lake has inspired me to continue to seek GOD and find the water that my body longs for. At this moment, I am feeling infinite love and gratitude.

Lastnight before I fell asleep. I was praying. As I prayed I saw a brown deer with white spots. It walked in a beautiful tall grass field. I thought it was a vision to bring peace. The next morning I was watching the news and to my amazement they were showing my vision!! The color of the field, the same species of deer.... I knew I had to look up what god was trying to tell me. I landed on your sight and it fit my circumstance to a "T" thanks for sharing your sight. It blessed me so much today!!

Thanks for your explanation. A few years ago through Divine inspiration I was led to read Psa 18 and this verse always puzzled me. I read that psalm when I was down and out and really depressed. I have seen God's hand at work in my life. Today I wanted to review that psalms and especially verse 33 and came across your blog. Thank you for posting. It has blessed me and given me further insight into what God wants to do in my life. Be blessed and continue writing.

'Had a tough day at work and came out of my school building late in the evening in a rough area to go home, when I saw a deer right by my Suburban standing...almost guarding me while I got to my car. I knew it was prophetic, so looking for meaning, I came upon your post. Isn't God always faithful to strengthen us...victory and freedom, leaping over fences with ease! I'm so thirsty for His refreshing everlasting waters.

This evening in the dark on the freeway I had an encounter with a deer.

The freeway had been filled with lights from cars, then I passed through a dark patch and suddenly the deer appeared in front of my van like it had been waiting for me.

It stood as if frozen in place like a statue with its front legs in the left lane and hind legs in the right lane. If I would have had my window down, I could have grabbed its tail as I drove by.

Instead, instinctively I swerved to the right to miss it, then wondered if I was going to lose control of the van. But God had already reminded me ahead of time that tonight I needed to reduce my speed. It was deer hunting season and for this reason I was able to bring the van safely back onto the road.

This encounter happened at a crucial time in my life. I am about to make a major move and moments before the deer appeared my thoughts were centered on the future and my financial provision.

Sensing that there was a connection between the deer, my thoughts at the moment, and my situation, I began to ask God why the deer was frozen in the middle of the road where I could not miss seeing it. In fact I would have hit it, if my instincts had not kicked in.

God is in control of everything that enters my life so what did the deer symbolize? What was God telling me through this encounter?...if anything.

First I did a Bible search and discovered 1 Kings 4:22-24 where the deer is called a "roe" and is identified as "provision" for Solomon.

That rang a bell since provision was my concern at the very moment I had encountered the deer.

Then a googled "deer Bible symbol" and came across your blog. You wrote, "Let us be like the deer --trusting that God is placing our feet in secure places…. Knowing that no matter what comes into our life, God is ordering our steps and we can keep our eyes lifted up – gazing into His face never fearing that our foot will slip!"

God was indeed ordering my steps right around the deer keeping me safe, yet placing the deer frozen in its tracks in my path so I could not miss the message--assuring me that He was ordering my steps and leading me in my plans to move.

When He led me to your blog, I discovered that God has used the deer to impact the lives of others also.

Thank you so much for this blog post. I have turned my life over the will of God and have been noticing certain animals in my morning run in the park and saw a doe and her fawn - the sight stopped me dead in my tracks and felt so peaceful and filled with grace. Your blog post captured what I was looking for so eloquently ... thank you.

My wife just lost her father - barely 9 months after losing her mom to cancer. It has been a struggle. The other day she was letting the dog out in the back yard and two young fawns were laying in the grass next to the house - just looking at my wife. She said to me - "I felt like that was God telling me Mom and Dad are together again - and they are happy and at peace in the presence of the Lord." I am convinced this is the case !! Blessings!

Thank you for sharing this information with me and everyone else fortunate enough to happen upon your sight. I've been going through a difficult period but as I wrote on my debut novel "Revelations" each day a few deer would walk across my back yard. Sure footed and graceful to remind me to stay on course and trust in God. I did and still do. The book is done and as I await a response from literary agents, I prayed yesterday morning and when I returned home after a meeting in town. My son said, "Mom two bucks came to our nack yard today." I said, "Wow, I'm sorry I missed them." "Oh Mom, they are still out back. It's like they waited for you." I went to the window and they were gracefully seated in the back yard along the fence. Calm and serene. The deer stayed for another hour and left before the rain came.

Today I found your lovely message and know that God has been sending me a message via these graceful deer. Be calm and sure footed, Trusting in God to guide my feet on this journey. ARDean

Thank you for leaving this post up. On Monday, two different people gave me the verse about Naphtali and the sure footed deer and said they believed that these were passages the Lord wanted to speak over me. Given that they both were about deer, I wanted to do a little research to help my understanding. Your post was really encouraging. So glad I found your blog. Blessings! Kathleen

While at my church I was worshipping and while my eyes were closed. ..I saw a deer and he was drinking water from a river and while he was drinking. ...there came a lot of birds soaring in the sky...and I was just was so happy. ...so I came across your blog and I thank you for your research of the word...and the comments from the reader about Solomon and how the doe was a sign of provision. ..since today is tithers sunday at my church. ♥

God Bless You for this post! I am in a difficult time with many troubles and questions. I sought the Lord in prayer and through communion and when I finished I came out to see Three deer feeding right up close to the house next to the living room window. I felt it was a sign from the Lord but was unsure exactly what it meant so I googled deer symbolism in the Bible and found your post. It spoke directly to my heart and eased my fears. The Lord used your post to speak to me today! May you be richly blessed!

Hi Julie! Loved this post! Thanks off sharing your gifts and talents to write and inspire! Googled and found this post when pondering the symbolism of a deer:) would love to post some of your blogs on a website called overfiftyandfab. We also have a face book page overfiftyandfabulous . Both are geared towards Christian women over fifty. Our desire is to inspire and minister with our words. Please contact me privately if this is something you might consider. -Paula

Thank you for this post! I had a dream about a deer, in the wilderness, I was laying down on my stomach and the deer came and laid down on my back and put its head right on my shoulder. It was very peaceful and joyful and vivid. I searched out symbolisms of deer and meanings in dreams and then in the bible. I have been having many struggles and doubts regarding faith lately (is Jesus the one and only way or is there a more universal faith/path...or is it all just wishful thinking.....) and your blog post brought a beautiful meaningful perspective to me at a most needed time. Thank you, your research and writing have helped keep me on a more spiritual path rather than giving in to the doubts. I hope to be as sure footed as a deer one day.

A wonderful lesson from the life of a deer. i was blessed by it. For two days it has been on my mind to see the lessons from the life of a deer after reading Psalms 18:33 and my thought ran through psalms 42:1. may God make my feet like the feet of a deer and make me continually pants after Him like a deer.martin I

This is wonderful and so timely for me..I'm getting married and have recently re committed myself to God. Thanks be to Him. I feel he speaks to me in my prayer time. And I kept hearing "surefooted" your interpretation and the scriptures accompanying them help bring to light what I feel the Lord is speaking to me for my life. Also big big time...love and forgivness. Not just for others but for myself. God bless you!!!

"Lord, I pray for this child of yours who is about to be married. Thank you for drawing her to yourself... I pray that she will be strong and 'sure-footed' along the path you have laid before her. May your joy be her strength and the fountain of her testimony to others. Open the windows of heaven above her and pour out your blessings upon her.. bless her coming in and going out - and bless her marriage, may it be bound with cords that cannot be broken. In your love, I pray amen."

The Lord is so faithful and what a beautiful way to start my New Year.As I am staring out into the dark of the morning in the blanket of white snow I see an imagine out of the corner of my eye. It is a deer. Walking surefooted on the ice and snow covered road. I gasp and take in the picture before me and say Oh Lord if only I had my camera and could capture this moment. As I am still in awe of this beautiful doe and the grace and surefooted way she is walking on the snow I see another and another and another. I am filled with awe and don't want to move in the window that I might frighten them. In all there was 5 of them. They were there for this short moment and disappeared behind the hedge and then, there they were in my front yard, all 5 coming back. I gasp again at the beauty of all 5 of them walking through the darkness and snow. They all went around to the back yard and I can slightly see them leaping the fence with ease into the neighbors yard. So I ask the Lord what does 5 mean and also Deer. Well at 5 A.M on Jan 1, 2016 I learn that 5 represents the meaning of grace. There were 5 deer and at 5 am, oh my, my heart is filled with Joy. The Lords grace will carry me and lead me through this year "surefooted" and that He has ordered my every step. Happy New Year and may the Grace of God carry you through this year. Thank you. P.S. I would like to add that I don't live in an area where you would see deer very often.

Beautiful, we live in Colorado now having journeyed to Hawaii for a time, long story. So just this morning, new years day...we have deer just outside the window. I sent pix to my good freind of them and she returned with our blog! This is so amazing. The Bible does indeed show them as gentle loving creatures. I believe them to be our guardian angels, by which GOD shows me HIS presence and daily protection. Yes, I know they are just deer, but to me HIS message is as the birds in the air He watches us,everyone and cares for us much more than birds or deer. How glorious is HE and he creation shouts His glory!

I had a dream 2 years ago....or more just a voice in the night that would wake me up with a whispered "fawn" i was so confused as to what it meant. Ive been infertile my entire adult years, and a baby is something ive wanted so bad. As im approaching my late 30s i keep trying to put the thoughts behind me trusting that God has something bigger and better in mind for me than a baby. But i don't have peace when i try to say goodbye to my dreams.I KNOW Im sopossed to become a mom, no matter how many doors keep shutting. Anyway i know the baby will be a girl named "Fawn", so i googled why the name would be from God, and this came up, i believe its no accident. I love how God meets us right where we are at! Every woman who came upon this post was meant to and God made us all see what He wants for us to see. So the meaning speaks differently per person! God is ALWAYS faithful!

Thank you for sharing your dream about Fawn and I appreciate your thoughtful comments ... God IS always faithful and I pray that the longing in your heart-that I believe HE put there- will be satisfied with His answer soon . Sending you a warm hug ... julie

I had a dream with three prominent things snow,deer and a wolf.The first was a herd of dear in a snow covered back yard. Second, a Wolf who came and scattered the herd. However one massive doe stayed behind standing tall. The wolf went for her throat but couldn't jump that high. When the herd was safly away she galopped off. Then my dream focused itself back in my living room I looked to someone and said nothing about the scene. But I tried to explain that the end was near biblically speaking whether the end of life in death or as spoken of in revelation. With that comment being mentioned in my dream I couldn't help but look up the representations of the three prominent things.Thank you and please pray for our preasent, pasr and future missionaries.

I was taking a morning prayer walk this morning and came across a solitary deer. I was keen to know the biblical significance of the deer (Psalm 42 came to mind) and a search of 'deer biblical meaning' took me to your blog and of course found the answer! Thank you very much and may the Lord bless you

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